Valve



9 Sheets-Sheet l.

W HARPER. JR

VALVE Original Filed Dec 1,

7 Sept. 23, 1930.

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INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept; 23, 1930; w. HARPER, JR

VALVE 9 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Dec. 1 1920 INVENTOR.

inn- 22:

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 23, 1930. I w. HARPER, JR 1,776,504

VALVE Original Filed Dec. 1 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 an a- INVENTORL ATTORNEY.

Sept. 23, 193@. W, HARPER, JR I 1,776,504

VALVE Original Filed Dec. 1, 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Sept; 23, 1930. w. HARPER, JR 1,776,504

' VALVE Original Filed Dec. 1, 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 k INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 23, 1930. w. HARPER, JR

VALVE Original Fil ed Dec. 1,

1920 9 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR By 7 /A ATTORNEY w. HARPER, JR 1,776,504

VALVE Sept. 23, 1930.

Original Filed Dec. 1, 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Sept 7 HARPER. JR

Original Filed Dec. 1 1920.

. g7? Tita-Z-U- Z97 VALVE 9 Shave -g 8 ENTOR. BY W ATTORNEY 1920 9. Sheets-Sheet 9 Se t. 23, 1930.. w. HARPER. JR

VALVE Original Filed Dec. 1

4 W15 %mm W -mw wh wm MLu ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1930 UNiTED' STATES PATENT orrlcs wrrum Hearing; .13., or rear wasnrmrron, NEW 1031:, assronon. 'ro nnnnrcan ens runnmn conroaa'non, or NEW YORK, n. Y., a CORPORATION or mimwann VALVE Original application filed December 1, 1920, Serial No. 427,475, new I'atent 179. 1,722,257, dated July 80, 1929, and in Great Britain July 18, 1821. Divided and this application iiled April 18, 1827. Serial This invention relatesto improvements in valves, especially those for internal combustion engines, and has for its object to provide a valve and driving mechanism therefor which is especially adapted for high speeds, and used witha wide variety of temperatures, the valve being adapted for very highv temperatures of cross fire and regeneration. This application is a division of my prior applications S. N. 427,475, filed Dec. 1, 1920, for Rotary reciprocating combustion engine,

Patent #1,722,257, dated July 30, 1929; S.. N. 485,499, filed July 18, 1921, for Combustion engine, Patent #1,722,258, dated July 30, 1929; S. N. 658,035, filed Aug. 18, 1923, for Internal combustion engine, 'Patent #1,7 22,259, dated July 30, 1929; S. N. 41,548,

' filed July 6, 1925, for Combustion engine and method of operating same, Patent #1,? 22,260, dated July 30, 1929; each of which discloses an entire engine including the valve.

anism to prevent its jamming on its seat in case of rotation in the reverse direction from said shifting means.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical cross section of the engine and valve.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical cross section through the engine.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the valve, sleeve, and its balancing or cushioning means. I

Fig. 4-is a cross section through the shaft.

and valve showing the heat energy transfer ports. 1

Fig. 5 is a development of the valve. Fig. 6 is a development of the'shaft ports.

Fig. 7 is a development of the auxiliary exhaust ports.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal view of the valve I .the instant of passage of hot gases through the valve from a working cylinder into a succeeding cylinder.

Fig. 11 shows the driving gears for the valv g Fig. 12 shows an end view of the means for adjusting thetiming of the valve.

Fig. 13 shows the outside of the valve.

, Fig. 14 is a section through a modified form of valve.

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal section through the valve of my prior Patent #1,722,259 showing another form of balancing device.

Fig. 16 is a detail of the blades in the valvefor breaking up the fuel mixture in the valve of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 shows a section of the valve of Fig. 15 and shaft through which cross ignition and internal supercharging occurs.

Fig. 18 is a section through the valve of my prior Patent #1,722,258.

Fig. 19 is a sleeve for exhaust gases in valves of Figs. 20, 21 and 23.

Figs. 20 and 21 are details of ignition devices within a valve.

Fig. 22 is a section through the shaft and valve firingports of Fig. 18.

Fig. 23 is a section of the jacketed exhaust valve.

Fig. 24 is a section through a modified form of valve and high tension ignition device shown in my prior Patent #1,722,257.

Fig. 25 shows a form of spontaneous'ignition device for the valve of Fig. 24.

Figs. 26 and 27 are details showing the cross firing passage constructed in the valve of Fig. 24.

The engine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a base casing 1, having a removable top in with bearings 4, 5, a rotor 7 with shafts 6,

-- each of said shafts carrying a flange 21 at its I 2, and removable end casing 3 provided there- The wrist pins 13 project through the sides of the cylinders and slide in the slots 15. The

. T-shaped feet of yokes 12 slide in track 11 as it rotates, thus allowing the pistons to reciprocate. \Vater jacket space 16 is cored in the rotor cast-in surrounding the cylinder's, as shown'in l igs. 1 and 2' providing centrifugal water circulation, the water coming in through the pipe 17 passing through the assage 18 within the shaft'extension 19 to t e passage 20 in the flange 21 (Fig. 8), thence y keytubes 22, which key the rotor casting to the shaft 6, thence through the water jacket spaces around the cylinders,

, thence returning to the exhaust side of the cooling system through alternate keytubes 25, passage 26, pump 27, outlet 28 to a radiatoror other. cooler, and thence to the intake 17, providing a combined centrifugal and forced cooling circulation. As shown .herein three of the key tubes are exhaust tubes, and the-remaining two key tubes 22 are rotary mixing device 30 sleeve 32. The fuel mixture then passes into inlet tubes, the volume of the exhaust Water being slightly larger than that of the intake owing to expansion.

The charge-inlet is by pi e 29 through the xed to the valve the passage 31 within the valve sleeve 32 and into the taperedvalve 33, throng]? the supply ports 35 into the cylinders. he tapered valve carried by the sleeve 32 is driven by the valve driving gear 34, see Figs. 1 and 3. The tapered valve 33 is provided with three inlet ports 35, three exhaust ports 38, and three internal supercharging ports or cross firing nozzles 39 for the transfer of heat energy. Owing to the diderential driving means for the valve, only three of each of such ports are necessary with the five-cylin der en 'ne illustrated. Each valve port is adapts to registerwiththe shaft ports 36,

which areaccurately machined and secured to register with the cylinder ports 37, see

Fig. 2. I I

he beat tranfer orcombustion chamber 40 formed between the ports 39. constitutes a heat reservoir and is preferably provided with spark contacts for starting ignition, which comprise the electrode 4:1 spaced a.

- short distance from the grounded electrode 42. The supply "current for the spark is car= ried by the electrode 43, plunger 4A- held within its-socket in contact with rod l5 leading out to the terminal 46. To provide proper design of the heat transfer ports, nipples 46 shown in Figs.3, 4 and 1-3. are screwed into the tapered valve for carrying the heat transfer ports 39., The chamber 40 is connected with each of these ports through a small expansion joint 49 constituted by a slidable connection between chamber 40 and nipples 48.

The passages bet-Ween chamber 40 and ports 39 are smaller than the chamber and larger 52 in the tubular supplemental valve body 55, '8

carried by the valve 33, and, lastly, the resid' ualexhaust through cylinder head orts 37,

shaft ports 36, exhaust ports 38 in t e valve 33. The residual exhaust'through the cylinder heads and the main exhaustithrough the passage 51 both passout through'the exhaust. passage 53 in the shaft, and thence out the pipe 54 leading-fromthe engine. The exhaust passages 51 are curved to permit of I water jacketing between them. The additional tubular valve 55 controlling the main exhaust is desirable to prevent back firing in a 4-cycle engine because the orts in the cylinder walls are opened an e osed by the piston once each revolution. mental valve 55 prevents exhaust gas being drawn into the cylinder just before the completion of the suction stroke. This valve 55 like the main valve 33 requires only three ports 52 because the valve is difierentially we driven with main valve 33 in the 5-cylinder engine illustrated. The tubular valve 55 need not be as tight and close a fit as the main valve 33. scavenging of the cylinders is ac- I complished by the inward stroke of. the pis- 1 ton through the cylinder ports 37, shaft ports "36 and exhaust ports 38 in the conical valve body33.

The internal-supercharge or regeneration is timed by manual means described later. 1

:W'ith this engine it .is possible to transfer a portion of the incandescent charge from a working cylinder to a succeeding cylinder before the latter cylinder is at the. completion of its compression stroke and it .is possible to i have this heat transfer occuras much as circular degrees in advance of the innermost point of the piston travel. In the-working cylinder the heat energy transferoccurs anywhere from roughly one-third to a half and I often two-thirds of the power stroke, though it may'occnr earlier or later in the power stroke provided the pressure in the successively fired cylinder be not greater than that of the hot ga es transferred.

his supple- 109 The conical valve body 33 is held seated by the springs 56 and 57 controlled by the thumb screw 58 but cushioning of thrusts on the valve due to unbalanced pressure is taken up largely by the diaphragm 59 connected with the hydraulic cylinder 61 and piston 60, illustrated in Fig. 3. Thrusts such as that due to cylinder pressure on the valve taper forcing the valve to the left in Figs. 1 and 3 are taken up by this diaphragm and cylinder. Either the piston may be loosely fitting to permit a slow passage of liquid past it or, as is the case here, small perforations, not shown, are provided in the piston. The insulating bushing 62 and insulated sleeve .63 protect the current going to the spark plug, and the bushing 62 also is arranged to transmit thrusts of the valve.

In Figs. 4 and 10 are shown'the preferred form of valve having its ports 39 so proportioned with regard to the cylinder. ports that the portion of a charge extracted is cut off from the working cylinder before the combustion chamber is connected to the successively fired cylinder. In Fig. 14 is shown a modified valve having its ports 39 slightly wider whereby the working and succeeding cylinders are connected but only for an instant and before any back flow of heat into the working cylinder can occur.

Differential driving of the valve is accomplished from the shaft driving gear 64 through connected gears 65 and 66 to outside gear 67; the gear 67 has external twisted teeth and a set of internal spline-like projections 70. The valve is provided on its-periphery with a member 34 which is made up of a set of spline'like projections 71, the projections 70 and 71 cooperating to drive the till valve. Power is conveyed from the shaft through its gear 64 to the gear 68 connected with the driving pulley 69. For automatically unseating the valve 33 with increase in its driving torque the spline-like projections 71 are twisted in such fashion that they have a slight sliding motion on the twisted projections 70. From this it results that the longi- 'tudinal components of thrust are unbalanced, and there will be a tendency to thrust the valve to the left upon any increase in driving torque due to valve sticking. etc. In order to partially balance lateral thrusts in some of the transmission gears they are made with twistedteeth oppositely arranged.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the driving shaft is provided with a shoulder 72 normal] contacting with the flange 73 of the gear 6 In this position the gear 67 is ready to slightly unseat the valve 33 by moving it to the left on increase of driving torque. In case ofthe engine turning in the wrong direction and to prevent thetwisted gears from jamming the valve on its seat, the gear 67 is made slightly slidable so that after turning a portion of a revolution in the wrong direction it assumes the position shown in Fig. 9, when flange 7 3 is out of contact with the shoulder 72, but engaging the member 34 on the valve sleeve 32 to avoid shifting the valve to the right and prevent its jamming in its seat.-

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, to adjust the timing of the valve a lock nut 78 is released to enable rotation of the gear 75 engaging teeth 7 6 on the member having a projection 77 carrying the auxiliary shaft 74 on which are mounted the gears at 65 and 66. Shifting the position of the auxiliary shaft 74: will shift the angular relationship between the valve ports and the shaft ports or adjust the timing of the valve. The guide frame 79 fitting in a slot in the projection 77 holds said projection in line.

The engine is oiled by-centrifugal force; the rotary motion given the supply charge fed in through the inner space 31 of the valve sleeve 32 by the mixing device 30 causes any liquid oil particles to be separated out and to fallinto the bottom of the space 31. From there oil grooves lead the oil thus separated into helical grooves on the outside of the valve sleeve, as shown in Fig. 8 for example. These grooves are arranged to forcethe oil to the right toward the tapered portion of valve 33, where substantially straight longitudinal grooves shown in Fig. 13 keep the valve lubricated.

- To remove excess oil from the cylinders into the casing and to lubricate the piston, liquid oil particles are centrifugally separated andpass into the oil passage 80 shown in Fig. 2 when this passage is uncovered by the piston. A plug 82 closes the end of passage 80 while communicating assage 81 leads into the casing and cylinder eyond the piston. The passage 82 leads from the leading side of the cylinder wall where centrifugal force is a maximum in enabling the oil to be separated. In order that the exhaust may be as dry as possible the exhaust passage 51 leads from the lagging side of the tangentially arranged cylinder. The passages 80 and 81 leading into the cylinder are spaced far enough apart so that both of said passageways are not uncovered by the piston at the same time; as the piston moves outwardly oil collects in passages 80, and as the piston moves inwardly uncovering the mouth of 81 the oil then discharges from 80 and 81, spurts out into the casing under the influence of centrifugal force and provides the necessary piston lubrication.

In order to equalize the. wear on the yokes 12 carried by the wrist pin 13 and prevent one yoke from carrying most of the load. means are provided for equalizing the pressure on each yoke. This is done by the pro- 4 provided with a spherical bearing 84 shown regeneration by the transfer of hot in Fig. 1.

This engine embodies a number of distinctive characteristics among which ma be mentioned the increase in thermal efliciency due to successive internal supercharging or ases from a working cylinder. into a successively fired cylinder. An essential of successive internal supercharging by heat energy" trans-- for is that the path shall be a minimum in distance in order to keep from unduly coolin the hot gases, because the temperature 0 increasing quantity with each successively these heated gases is very highwhen occurring in the early part of the power stroke and considerably above the relatively low temperature of theexhaust. The passages for thetransfer of this heat energy have been so constructed as to absorb a minimum sorbed that the heat energy transfer is of an fired cylinder, resulting in acceleration in engme speed with increase in temperatures and amount of heat. In fact so little heat is abmean effective pressures up to the structural limitations and speeds for which the en ine is designed, necessitating a possible ad ustment of. timing to keep from further-increasing speed and pressures above safe limits.

' Instead of a change in timing to stop the acceleration, control of the throttle valve gases is a minimum. Owing to the excessive temperatures encountered the heat transfer ports 39 and the chamber 40 are made preferably of chromel metal, a high chromium nickel alloy which is not alfected by the heat,

being non-oxidizing and of low coefiicient of expansion. Another feature contributin to Y the absorption of a minimum amount of eat sage and chamber is the arrangement o by the heat transfer and cross igniting past ese parts as shown in Figs. 4. and 10 Within the valve and spaced from the walls thereof so that there is little heat conduction from the chamber 40 to the valve walls. Also the chamber 40 issu-rrounded by a space through which the incoming fuel charge is passed with the result that the temperature of the chamber 40 is kept down.

Withthis invention the valve may be cooler and the heat transfer passage hotterthan in any previous construction, the temperature of the transferred charge may be as high as a thousand degrees above the exhaust temperature. In this invention the chamber 40 is made relatively small which cuts'down the ing ignition the location of the spark plug within this chamber 40 so that the rapid passage of hot gases from one cylinder into a second succeeding cylinder is past this plug,

form wear results and the angle of the taper does not change. The relative location of the 'heat transfer'ports 39 with respect to the supply and exhaust ports will be seen, and it will I also be seen that the ports 39 are longitudinally and transversely nearerthe supply ports-than the exhaust ports, with the result that only .a portion of the exhaust gases are responsible for the expansion at the small end of the tapered valve, while the heat losses from the transfer ports 39 andchamber 40 are largely responsible for the expansion at the large end of the valve.

Another feature of simplicity of construction of the cushioning means'us'ed for taking up thrusts on the .tapered valve necessitating relatively few parts.

The pulley shown atthe right in Fig. 1 is mounted on a shaft rotating with the cylinders'. Adjacent'to pulley 69 at the left of Fig. 1 is shown a governor which controls the ,supply of fuel char e to the engine. The 1gnition cir'cuit'supp y wire is attached to the his invention is the contact terminal. .146, while the other is grounded. I

Internal supercharging by adding enough heat to a succeedin c linder taken from a working cylinder uring an early portion of the power stroke, raises the temperature and mean efi'ective pressure in the cylinder receiving the heat, and this increase in temperature and ress ureincreases both the thermal andmec anical efiiciency of the engine. The engine of the-type illustrated is also adapted for additionally superchargingbythe application of increased pressure to the supply charge fed into the cylinders. While external or supercharging in this last mentioned manner 1s not satisfactory in many engines on account of the loss in energy from stopping and starting columns of gas or changin their direction, such is especially adapted or an engine of the type illustrated because the supply fluid is fed continuously into the engine without changing its direction, some one or more intake ports being always open and the direction of the fuel charge is always the same and whirling as it travels through the valve sleeve'within the shaft. It will thus be seen that the engine of this invention is particularly adapted for large load s, con-- cable to two kinds of supercharging, namely,

external supercharging or that due to m-, crease in pressure of the supply fluid and also internal superchargingforv regeneration resulting from the addition of heat taken from previously fired cylinder.

Referring to the valve of Fig. 15, although there is not much longitudinal thrust in a conical valve from cylinder pressure, it is found that a relatively heavy spring 121 is required in a high pressure engine to hold the valve down. By balancing out this thrust, a

lighter spring can be used, the valve stays down instead of vibrating in and out of the seat, and less driving power is used.

The valve ignition rod has a slot 110 through the insulation 111 to admit cylinder pressure to the annular space 112 thence by port 113 to balancing cylinder space 114. The head; 115 is directly on the valve body and transmits the thrust to the forward (right) end of the valve through nipples 48. The head 116 slides on tube 117 but thrusts against shoulder 118 on 7 body 119 which slidesthrough vane ring 30 and thence through thrust bearing 120 to engine frame 65. The tube 119 slides over the cylinder body, and sliding head 116 has a packed fit as shown in the cylinder body. The sliding movement of head 116 relatively to shoulder 118 provides for expansion, and wear of the valve in the seat. The cylinder pressure thrust on the valve is thus balanced out, leaving the seating pressure practically determined by the ten sion of spring 121. The balancing pressure is determined by the area of cylinder head 115,

to be more or less thanthe cylinder pressure tending to unseat the valve by overcoming spring 121. The present construction is of especial advantagein an elongated conical valve of relatively slight taper, but is applicable to all typesof rotary conical valves wherein unseating' from cylinder pressure may occur. By tapering the block 122 to en'- larged ends as shown, the oil tends to centrifugall travel towards the ends and lubricate the lock ends in blocks 123, 124. The round ended block 122 also permits slight disalignment due to bearing or valve wear, etc., with- The valve of this and the preceding figures is mostly oiled by centrifugal force as was described in connection with the valves of my otherapplications. In the matter of unseating and adjusting the valve for timin during rotation, also in the cross ignition fiinction, the valve is similar to that described in the preceding figures.

Fig. 17 is a section through the valve of Fig. 15-showing the inlet ports 35, the cross firing ports 39 leading to the combustion chamber 40 spaced from the valve'body 33. As with the valve of the preceding figures, the combustion chamber is secured in position by ported nip les 48 screwed into the valve body and having a sliding fit within the combustion chamber 40 toconstitute an expansion joint. In Fig. 17 the exhaust ports 38 that are shown in dotted lines and the shaft 6 surrounding the valve and containing the shaft sive heat absorption by the valve body, iuas-.

much as the combustion chamber is spaced from the valve body. From Fig. 17 it will be seen that the cross fire path is substantially a straight line between the cross ignition ports 39.

Referring to. Fig. 18, the tubular taper valve 33 of my Patent 1,722,258 is shown as having a spring 131 adjusted by the nut 132 which exercises pressure through an interposed tubular rod 133 ending in a ball thrust bearing 142 against a tube 143 carried by the ring 144 on the valve sleeve 32', tending to push the valve 33 to the right in Fig. 18 onto its seat. The gear 34* is of the skew type so that the axial thrust of the ear opposes the thrust of the spring 131. hen the engine is cold, these two forces will As shown in about be balanced, so that the tapered valve creases to such extent as to cause the skew I gears to push the valve backwards against spring 131 until the friction due to. expansion is relieved, thereby permitting the valve to always drive easily and at the same time permitting the spring 131 to hold it on its seat, irrespective of temperature. as is the case with the valve of the preceding figures. In Fig. 18, the valve is so designed that all of the exhaust takes place through the exhaust ports 38 and none through the sides of the cylinder around the valve. As shown in Figs. 18 and 23, the lining 145 is inserted in the exhaust passage of the valve, the valve body around its lining being recessed to form dead gas spaces 149 having the effect of heat insulation, so that a less amount of heat 18 absorbed by the valve body at this portion than would be the case if the valve body were of solid metal. Passages 146 are the water inlet passages shown in Figs. 18 and 22, while passages 147 shown in Fig.22 are the outlet for the hot water from the cylinder jackets, as described more fully in in prior Patent #1,722,258 where the comp ete engine is shown. The valve 33 of Figs. 18 to 22 is provided with supply ports 35, exhaust ports with the preceding valves, oil contained in the fuel supply is centrifugally separated out within the valve sleeve 32" and passes centrifugal force will throw the oil outwardto lubricate the extreme tapered portion of the valve, this oil going into the valve ports which happen to be closed, whereas the charge wil be deflected and drawn equally through the valve inlet port and the cylinder port into the cylinder. This is a very im ortant feature in enabling the extreme end of the valve to be properly lubricated and also giving equal flow of charge throughout the ort length to the cylinder. he ignition evice shown in Fig. 18 comprises a contact or catalytic device located in the combustion chamber 40 and connected with a small'auxiliary source of combustible gas,

so that combustible gas is always drawn through the device toward the engine cylinder during the suction stroke, tending to cause the device to incandesce-and thereby causing ignition from the combustion chamber atthe proper time, the device being so constructed that there is always a stream of fresh gas-being drawn through. The igniter consists of a quartz tube carrying finely 134 is the gas supply for the igniter con- 40 trolled by valve 135, thence going through tube 136 and tube 133 into tube 143 which is connected by couplings, as shown, to the igniter casing '138 threaded into the valve body 33". 139 .is the capsule which becomes incandescent and is'positioned in the combustion chamber 40 and carried by the igniter body138. Within the body 138 and spaced from the tubular lining 137 thereof is a' quartz tube 148 through which the gas passes and containing at its forward end spongy platinum. lfhe ignit-er body has a hole 140 opening into the main gas inlet space Within the valve sleeve whereby the suction stroke produces sufficient gas flow through the quartz tube into the capsule and thence out through the hole 140, so that the capsule becomes, incandescent and will fire the gas in the combustion chamber whenever the proper compression is reached, which is at the time when a cross fireshould occur if the engine is already running or when a cylinder should be fired in starting. Ordinarily, the heat of compression due to cranking the engine a. few times will dry out the igniter so that it will start automatically,

divided platinum which will automatically but in case it should not, a small electric heat ing wire 141 can be run throughto be heated by a current to dry the capsule until, it can incandesce and the current then be cut off. The hole in the quartz tube is sufiiciently small so that the velocityofthe suction as is greater than the back fire flame speed't us be in the form of a fine coil of wire or in spongy platinum sufliciently divided so as to permit the gas to pass through as may be desired. One convenient way is toapply finely divided platinum to quartz fibre which will hold the former suspended. If the gas velocity is greater than the flame travel, the speedof gas decreasesowing to theincrease of space within the end of the capsule as compared with the diameter of the'quartz tube. The capsule being exposed to the compression conditions of the engine, retains compression heat. The timing can be varied by throttling the gas at valve 135, which valve will also control the temperature of the platinum.

In Fig. 20 is shown another form of con- 7 tact igniter in' which aplatinum capsule is carried by plug 151 in the exhaust chamber, the plug 151 also carrying a tube 152 so that gas from the ignition is always moving through the port 153 in the capsule and out through the tube 152 thus causing the active material 154 to heat up and thus heat'the capsule. Spongy or finely divided platinum,

or platinum mixed with oxides of thorium,

cerium, etc'., may be used, as such oxides tend to attract oxygen from the air.

ln Fig. 21 is shown a form of high tension ignition device in which the rod 155 is counter bored in its end as shown to form a recess and the plug 156 has a chamber 157 which is closed by a conicai cover 158 havin a small hole 159 in the end registering with the counter bore in the rod 155. The ignition of the engine compresses the gas in the chamber 157, which at the time of ignition is expanding and flowing out through the hole 159 at the time the spark jumps, the efiect of this blast gas through hole 159 being to spread or fan out the arc laterally, thus giving a much quicker and better be y of gas to be i nited, because of the spreading out of immaterial, since one volume of burned gas at atmospheric pressure w1ll be compressed many times at the ignition pressure, hence the counter bore in rod 155 and the chamber 157 necessarily receive fresh gas at each coming the chamber 40 at one end. Mounted in the block 161 is insulation such as wrapped mica 163 carrying the contact 164, the cur rent jumping to a contact screw 165 in the plug 166 forming the other end of the ignition chamber 40*, with the contact 165 adjustable for length of gap. The contact 164 'is carried by a plug 167 to which is secured by a clip 168 a rod 169 extending outwardly into thesupply passage 29 and engaging in a conical spring pressed block 170. This spark plug and all the mechanism associated therewith must turn with the valve so that the cone plug 170 forms a bearing on which the rod 169 turns. From the plug170 the current goes out through suitable conductors to a binding post 171 to which 'is attached the conductor from the magneto. The distributor for the magneto will'have a commutator with contact segments which will be so spaced as to complete the circuit at the proper times,

or else will be driven at such speed with a single segment as to do this. In the present case, the ignition sparks will be produced at about the same times that the cross firing gnition occurs, or the make and break, giving one spark in approximately each 120 of valve revolution.

Fig, shows a type of catalytic ignition device similar to that shown in Fig.- 20 except that the valve of Fig. 25 does not have any dead gas space heat insulation around the exhaust passage.

Fig. 26 shows the valve of Fig. 24 with the high tension ignition means removed. This valve it will be noted is cylindrical instead of tapered, and is driven and lubricated in the same manner as the valves of the previous figures, it being adjustable for timing during rotatlon.

Fig. 27 shows a cross section of the valve 33" showing the cross ignition ports 39 and v combustion chamber 40 in cooperation with the shaft ports 36 but not showing the exhaust or supply ports, these being arranged in substantially the/same manner as in the previous valves. The cross ignition ports 39, enlarged, as shown in Fig. 26, are to avoid quenchin effects by enabling the flame to fan out into and through the shaft ports. This valve, like the ones of the previous figures,is differentially driven with respect to the cylinders or rotor, whereby a less number of valve ports are required than the numher of cylinders, and with the five cylinders of the engine illustrated in the previous figures, and the valve having three inlet, three exhaust and three cross ignition ports, it need only rotate one-sixth slower than the speed of rotation of the cylinders with the result that wear is considerably lessened, and a better fit obtainable. Another advantage is that reduction in the number of valve ports gives more room for necessary valve lap.

This invention is not to be restricted to the five cylinder and three port valve shown.

as other numbers of cylinders may be used with proper differentiation between angular cylinder velocity and angular valve velocity. Thus, a seven cylinder engine can be op erated with a four port valve it driven at one-eighth less angular velocity than the cylinders, but increase in the number of cylinders tends to increase the size and diameter, tending to lengthen the gas travel.

I claim:

1. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a rotary valve having a plurality of transverse internally connected cross fire passages, means for driving said valve, and means for adjusting the timing of the valve during rotation.

2. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve of circular cross section having a supply and exhaust port and a closed cross fire passage extending axially through the valve internally of said supply and exhaust ports and connecting spaced orts of restricted area compared with sai supply and exhaust ports.

3. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve of circular cross section, supply and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the valve periphery, passages through the valve connecting like ports, cross fire ports between said pairs of ports, and a passage through the valve connecting said cross lire ports.

4. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve of circular cross section having more than two cross fire ports uniformly spaced about the valve periphery and passages through the valve connectmg said ports to a common closed chamber. v

5. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a rotary valve having a transverse cross fire passage therethrough, driving means for the valve, and means to adjust timing of the valve during its continued rotation.

6. A combustion engine valve containing a plurality of peripheral ports, passages connected to said ports, spline-like projections on said valve, :1 co-axial driving member cooperating therewith, intermediate gears driving the valve at a'difi'erent speed from the co-axial driving member, and means for moving said intermediate gears about said driving member to vary the angular relationship between said -co-axia'l driving member and valve ports. 3

7 A combustion en ine'rotary valve having a plurality of peripheral ports, passages through the valve connected to said ports, ,drivlng means for the valve, a tube between saidvalve and its driving means, means for supplying oil to the inside'of said tube,-a

recess on the inside of the tube for accumulating oil, an oil passage leading from the said recess to' the periphery of the tube whereby oil is fed to the periphery by centrifugal force, and a helical groove leading from said passage to the portion of the valvecontaining said ports.

8. In a multiple-cylinder combustion'engine, a rotary valve having a plurality of each of separate supply and exhaust ports,

longitudinal supply and exhaust passages connected to their respective ports, at least as many cross fire ports on the valve periphery as thereare'supply ports, there being a supengine, a'valve having a tapered portion provided with a plurality of supply and exhaust passages therein, a valve seat; means for holding thevalve on its seat, means for driving the valve, and means responsive to.

increase in its driving torque for longit'n dinally shifting the valve against said hold.- ing means without substantially changing its timing.

11. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve having a tapered portion throng which extends a transverse closed cross h e passage connecting spaced ports, a

valve seat, means for holding the valveon its seat,-means for driving the valve, and means responsive to increase in its driving torque for longitudinally shifting the valve against said holding means.

12; A heat engine valve having a tapered.

portion on which supply and exhaust ports are arranged in pairs around the valve periphery, passages through'the valve connecting said ports, a valve seat, means for holding the valve on its seat, meansfor driving the valve, and means responsive to increase in its driving torque for longitudinally shifting the valve, againstsaid holding means.

13.'In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve havinga tapered -portion provided with morethan two cross fire ports uniformly spaced about the valve periphery, passages through the valve connecting said ports, a valve seat, means for holding the valve on its seat, means for driving the valve, and means responsive to increase in its driving torque for longitudinally shifting the valve against said holding means.

' 14. In a multiple-cylinder. combustion engine, a valve having a tapered portion provided with more than two cross fire ports uniformly spaced about the valve periphery passages through the valve connecting said' ports, a valve seat, means for holding the valveon its seat, means for driving the valve, means responsive to increase in its driving torque for longitudinally shifting the valveagainst said holding means, and means for adjusting the timing of the valve during rotation.

15. A heat engine valve having atapered portion provided with a plurality of each of supply and exhaust 'ports, arranged in pairs around-the valve periphery, passages through. the valve connected to said ports, a valve seat, means for holding the valve on its seat, means for driving the valve, means for adjusting the valve timing during rotation, and means responsive to increase in its driving torque for longitudinally shifting .the valve against said holding means.

16. In a multiple-cylinder I combustion engine, a valve having atapered portion provided with transverse cross fire passage and an exhaust passage, and means around a portion of at least one of said passages for lessening heat absorption by the valve body from said passage.

17. In a radial cylinder combustion engine a rotary, driven, tapered valve having cross fire ports on its tapered portion, avalve seat, means for holding the valve on its seat, means for supplying oil'between the valve and its seat, and means for longitudinally shifting the valve against said holding means on increase in its driving torque.

18. A combustion engine tapered valve, a valve seat, means for holdingthe valve on its seat, a hot gas passage through the valve, means for longitudinally shifting the valve against said holding means on increase in its driving torque, said last mentioned means including spline-like projections on said valve, and another set of spline-like members cooperating therewith and arranged to longitudinally shift said valve.

19. In a multi-cylinder combustion engine, a tapered valve having peripheral ports on its tapered portion, passages through the 'valve connected to said ports, a valve seat, and fluid pressure means for balancing the valve against unseating b tapered. portion, said flui pressure on its pressure means being responsive to cylinder pressure.

20. A tapered valve having-peripheral ports on Its tapered portion, passages.

I through the valve said gorts, a a tapered, rotary valve having a pluralit valve seat, fluid pressure means for alancof cross fire ports transversely distribute the valve ing the valve against unseatin'g by pressure on its tapered portion, means for driving the valve, and automatic means for longitudmallyshifting said valve on increase in its driving torque without substantially changing its timing.

21. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a valve provided with transverse internally. connected cross fire passages enlar ed at their junction, and means between at east a portion of said passages and the valve body for transfer of the incoming charge, thereby lessening heat absorption by the valve body and heating said incoming charge. Y

22. In a radial multi-cylinder combustion engine, a valve provided with transverse internally connected cross fire passa es con: necting ports distributed transverse y about periphery and shaped to provide transfer 0 a ame between orts.

23. Ina radial'multi-cylin er combustion engine, a valve provided with transverse internally connected cross fire passages connecting ports distributed about the valve periphery and shaped for flame transfer at an angle of bending substantially less than 90, and means to lessen heat absorption by the valve body from said passages. v

24. In a radial multi-cylinder combustion engine, a valve provided with a closed cross fire passage connecting transversely spaced ports and provided with a gas space. about-at "least a portion. of said passage to lessen heat absorption by the valve body from the passage.

25. A combustion engine valve provided with exhaust ports transversely disposed around the valve periphery, a supplemental valve having additional exhaust ports longitudinally spaced from and independent of the valve ports, and an exhaust passage connecting the ports in the valve and supplemental valve; I I

I 26. In a radial multi-cylinder combustion engine, a ta ered valve provided with a closed cross fire passage through the tapered portion connectin transversely spaced ports, means between said passage and valve body to lessen heat absorption by the valve body, a seat for said valve, means for holding the valve on its seat, and means responsive to,

increase in its drivin torque for, longitudinally shifting the va ve.

27. In a multi-cylinder combustion engine, a tubular valve having a combustion chamberspaced from the valve body, and orted nipples passing through the valve an holding said combustion chamber in position, said orted nipples also serving as passa es for firing the cylinders from the com ustion chamber.

28. In a multi-cylindercombustion engine,

expansion and hence the valve taper substantially constant.

30. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a tapered rotary valve provided with transverse cross fire passages through the tapered portion adjacent one end, and exhaust passages arranged to heat the rest of the valve in such manner as to maintain valve expansion and hence the taper substantially constant.

31. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a tapered valve-having in its tapered portlon supply passages, exhaust passages and cross fire passages longitudinallyne'arer.

the su ply than the exhaustpassages.

32. 11 an internal combustion engine, a rotary, driven valve having a taper, a valve seat, means for holding the valve on its seat, means for driving the valve, means forlongitudinally shifting the valve on increase in its drivin torque against said holding means, an means to prevent jamming'the valve on its seat on rotation the opposite direction."

33. 'In a multi-cylinder combustion engine, a rotary valve provided with a t'aper, avalve seat, means for holdin the valve on itsseat, means for longitudina y shifting the valve on increase in its driving torque, and means to prevent jamming the valve on its seat on rotation in the opposite direction, said last two mentioned means including curved projections on said valve, a concentric member cooperating with said projections, means for driving said concentric member, a stationary abutment against which said concentric member is adapted to engage on rotation of the valve in 1ts normal direction, and lateral means engaging said valve and concentric member on rotation of the valve in the reverse direction.

34. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, a rotary valve provided wlth a plurality of-each of suppl and exhaust orts arranged in pairs about t e valve perip ery, cross firing ports between said pairs and positioned nearer the supply than the exhaust ports of each pair. 1

35. In a multiple-c linder combustion engine, a valve provide with a taper and having on its tapered portion a plurality of Ion gitudinally overlapping supply and exhaust ports, longitudinal passages connected to the supply ports, and longitudinal passages exing in the opposite direction through the valve and connected to the exhaust ports,

transverse cross fire passages between said supply and exhaust passages, and extending below said supply and exhaust ports,

cross fire passages being adjacent that end of the .tapered valve through which the sup- .ply passage enters. 36. In a multiple-cylinder combustion en dinally shifting the valve on increase in its drivingtorque.

37 combustion engine valve provided with a taper, and having through its tapered portion transverse internally connected cross fire passages,

and passages to lessen heat absorption by the a former from the latter, a valve seat, means .for balancing the valve against pressure on its tapered portion, means for longitudinally shifting the valve on increase in its driving torque, and means to prevent jammin the valve on its seat on rotation in reverse irection. i

38. In a multiple-cylinder combustion engine, avalve havlng transverse cross fire passages spaced from the valve bed and a fuel supply passagesurrounding at cast a por tion of said passages to prevent heat absorption by the valve and to preheat the incoming 39..A combustion engine valve having transverse internally connected cross fire passages, and ports on the valve periphery connected by said passages, said passages be:

ing a mlnimum cross sectional area at said ports and of considerably increased cross sec tional area inwardly of the valve.

40; In a multiple cylinder combustion engine, a valve, and a plurality oftransverse cross firepassages in said valve which are in: ternally connected by a chamber enlarged with respect to said assages. I

41. In a "multi-cy inder internal combustion engine, a rotary valve, and a plurality of transverse'cross fire passages in said valve which are internally connected by a chamber enlarged with res act to said passages.

42. In a radial muti-eylinder combustion' engine, a valve having a plurality of cross fire passa s for firing one cylinder from another, sai passages intersecting a common, internal, enlarge chamber.

43. In a multi-cylinder combustion engine,

a valve, a closed chamber within; said valve,

means between the valve body engine, *{a rotary valve, an internal closed chamber. within said valve, spaced ports on the periphery of said valve, and cross fire passages connecting said (ports with said chamber for firing onecylin er from another.

45. In a multi-cylinder combustion engine, a valve having more than two cross fire orts uniformly spaced about the valve perip ery, and intersectin passages through the valve connectin sai ports, said passages being short an substantially straight to provide for sudden transfer of an uncooled flame.

46. In a multi-c linder combustion engine, a valve having a p urality oftransverse internally connected cross fire passages for firing one cylinder from at the junction of said passages, and cross fire ports at the external ends of said passages for permitting substantially continuous heating of said chamber by the cross fire flame. v

47. A tubular valve having a passage therethrough, projections fixed on said'valve, a driving member cooperating therewith driving gear for said member, and means 7 or rotating the driving gear about the valve member to change the t1min-g of said valve.

48. In a 'multi-cylinder combustion engine, a valve-provided with a cross fire chamber, spaced from the valve body by ported nipples, and an ex ansion joint and cham er.

49. In a multi-cylinder combustionengine, avalve having a tapered portion provlded with supply passages, and transverse cross fire passages internall connected to a chamber, expansion joints in said passages, and a as space between the internal chamber and valve body to lessen latter.

50. In a heat engine havin a hollow main formed by the nipples heat absorption by the shaft, a valve within said sha provided with supply and exhaust-ports arranged in pairs around its periphery, driving means for said valve, and means for controlling the'angular relationship between said driving means and said valve.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York-and State'of New York, this 11th day of April, A. D. 1927.

. WILLIAM HARPER, J12.

and spaced cross fireports connectin the chamber with the external surface'o the valve.

44. In a radial multi-cylinder combustion 

